Clinton Announces Racial and Ethnic


Health Disparities Initiative


By Jennifer Brooks


Closing the Gap, Looking for Money • April 1998


President Clinton is serious about improving the health of our 

nation. During a February 21, 1998 radio address, President 

Clinton announced the launching of a new Racial and Ethnic 

Health Disparities Initiative. “By the year 2010, we must eliminate 

racial and ethnic disparities in infant mortality, diabetes, cancer screening and management, heart disease, AIDS, and immunization,” he 

said. President Clinton backed up his words by devoting an unprecedented $400 million from his balanced budged plan to promising 

prevention and outreach programs that help minorities and other disfor all,” President Clinton said. “And that is why we must act now 

with a comprehensive initiative that focuses on health care and prevention for racial and ethnic minorities.” 

President Clinton called on top public health officials, led by 

Secretary Donna Shalala, to convene a task force to find new ways of 

targeting existing federal programs that reduce these health disparities. 

He also announced that David Satcher, MD, our new Surgeon General, will launch a comprehensive campaign to educate the public and 

work with community leaders and health professionals to reach more 

advantaged populations. The President also plans 

to give health insurance to five million more children and increase overall medical research. 

“Americans are living longer and are in better 

health than ever before,” President Clinton said. 

“But we must not be blind to the alarming fact that 

too many Americans do not share in the fruits of our 

progress, and nowhere are the divisions of race and 

ethnicity more sharply drawn than in the health of 

our people,” he said. 

President Clinton points to gaps in health statistics as reasons for stepping up efforts to improve 

health care: Infant mortality rates are twice as high 

“...an important step 

we’re taking to make sure 

all Americans, no matter 

what their background, 

have a better opportunity 

to live healthier lives.” 

Americans. 

The President also announced that 

Grantmakers in Health (GIH), a major coalition of 

over 136 philanthropic foundations across the country, is joining these efforts. Together, HHS and GIH 

will host a national conference this spring “to help 

solve this national problem, community by community,” President Clinton said. 

“But to truly eliminate these disparities and ensure better health for all Americans, all Americans 

must do their part,” President Clinton said. He 

urged Americans to take more responsibility for their 

own health and the health of our children. 

for African Americans as for white Americans. African American men 

suffer from heart disease at nearly twice the rate of whites. African 

Americans are more likely to die from breast cancer and prostate cancer. 

Overall, cancer fatalities are disproportionately high among both Latinos 

and Blacks. And Hispanic rates for diabetes are twice the national 

average; Native American rates are three times the national average. 

The President also said Asian Americans suffer from hepatitis B in 

greater numbers than other groups. Vietnamese women are five times 

as likely to have cervical cancer; Chinese Americans four to five times as 

likely to have liver cancer. 

“We do not know all the reasons for these disturbing gaps,” said 

President Clinton. “Perhaps inadequate education, disproportionate 

poverty, discrimination in the delivery of health services, cultural differences are all contributing factors.” 

Despite the reason, “racial and ethnic disparities in health are 

unacceptable in a country that values equality and equal opportunity 

Over the last six years, the Clinton Administration has placed 

more emphasis on prevention and on making health care more accessible and affordable. His approach seems to be leading to progress in 

some areas. “Infant mortality has reached an all-time low, childhood 

immunization levels are at an all-time high and AIDS death rates are 

falling for the first time in the history of the epidemic,” said President 

Clinton. 

However, research shows that overall, minority groups are less 

likely to be immunized against disease, less likely to be routinely tested 

for cancer, and are less likely to get regular check-ups. 

“America has the best health care system in the world.” President 

Clinton said. “But we can’t take full pride in that system until we 

know that every American has the best health care in the world. With 

these steps, I’m confident that we can meet the challenge and go 

forward as one America into the 21st century—stronger and healthier 

than ever before.”

Office of Minority Health Resource Center U.S. Department of Health and Human Services